If you just moved into a house previously owned by a smoker, or you’re thinking about it, or if you’re a smoker who wants to sell your home, you probably want to remove the cigarette smoke odor. After all, no one wants to buy a stinky house.
Cigarette smoke contains particles loaded with oil and tar. When you flick a cigarette, those particles stick to whatever they land on, leaving behind stinky remnants that need to be cleaned away. Here’s what you need to know before tackling this mess.
How Can Smoke Damage a House?
Smoke and cigarette byproducts, including nicotine, cling to household surfaces and fabrics and build up over time. The HVAC system, which cleans the air in your home, spreads these substances as it cleans. Thus, re-circulated air retains the aroma of smoke for months or even years.
Cigarette smoke is a horrible contaminant because it contains acidic smoke particles and gasses that soak into hard and soft surfaces. They leave behind a sticky, black substance known as nicotine, which can even contaminate dust.
What Are the Risks of Smoke Damage?
On top of the icky smell and damaged walls, cigarettes can also cause lasting, dangerous smells and gases. Thirdhand smoke, or leftover odors and particles from a cigarette, can still contain toxic particles and gasses after the cigarette burns out.
Second-hand smoke contains more than 7,000 compounds, including dozens associated with cancer. That sticky, brownish-yellow residue is called environmental tobacco smoke.
Which Areas of a House Are Damaged By Smoke?
Smoking cigarettes at home can permanently change the appearance of some surfaces like plastic, which may retain a yellowing film where there used to be a clear finish.
Smoke from cigarettes seeps into floors, walls, carpets, upholstered furniture, bedding, clothing, and soft surfaces. Even if no one smokes in the house, you can still smell tobacco because the air conditioning system carries chemicals and odor everywhere.
How Can Smoke Affect Your Home’s Value?
A recent study shows that cigarette smoke smells in the home can lower a property’s value by about 30 percent. Sellers are not required to disclose this to buyers, but real estate agents advise potential property owners to look out for freshly painted ceilings and walls because the homeowner might be trying to hide a smoky smell.
The smell of old cigarette smoke combined with stains is usually enough to turn people away from buying property.
How Are Smoke Stains and Odors Removed?
Cigarette smoke damage is more than a nuisance; it is also a health hazard. When getting rid of smoke odors and stains at home, it’s important to take every precaution possible. When it comes to removing smoky smells, you may first consider taking your house to a professional cleaning service.
Most professional cleaners have experience removing smoke odors from homes. They have the equipment and the know-how to effectively remove stains and odors without damaging the walls or other surfaces. They also likely have cleaning products that are more effective on smoke damage than products you can find at your local store.
Conclusion
If you live in a house with a smoker, it’s best to invest in a good air purifier and to have the HVAC system cleaned regularly. It’s important to do what you can to remove smoke odors, such as calling a professional cleaning service.
At Restoration Solutions, we have over 20 years experience in the restoration business, serving builders, homeowners, and single family property managers. We proudly serve the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth Area with damage restoration services including water damage repair, fire and smoke damage restoration, storm damage restoration, reconstruction and more. If you need smoke damage repair in Grand Prairie, TX, we’ve got you covered! Call us at 972-790-6300 to get a free estimate!
